'Attack of the Clones'
17 JUNE 2004
As the debate over reproductive cloning continues to rage,
a sneak preview of Sarah Jones’ forthcoming play about cloning,
"Hard Cell", was performed at Thames University’s first
annual science fair.
The extract, performed by the Open Fist Theatre Company is part of
a forthcoming play by Miss Sarah Jones, which will receive its full
premiere later in the year at the Culture Shock Culture festival. However,
whilst the main aim of the festival it is to bring science and the arts
closer together, the play has already been accused of inaccuracy and
scaremongering by some scientists.
The play is based on the premise that cloned humans will have no soul
and focuses on reproductive cloning. It includes such elements as telepathic
twins cloning their pets and hardly offers any mention of research into
therapeutic cloning, such as stem cell therapy.
Dr. Edward Marsh, the credited scientific consultant for the project,
was today unavailable for comment, but a source within the department
has said that Dr. Marsh has criticised the play for being innaccurate
and completely overlooking the main potential of cloning for medical
research. The source claims that Dr. Marsh has also described the play
as "just the sort of claptrap that the media latch onto... reproductive
cloning is just a red herring."
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Edward
Marsh 
